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“In my dreams, I fly”. But don’t we all share fantastic dreams that are only nurtured by the extravagant and colorful worlds of the superhero genre? Flying isn’t easy… most of the time we get stuck on the ground. For every ten superhero titles only one is good enough to ignite our imagination, to make us fly, to make us dream about flying. And for every hundred titles only one is good enough to actually elevate our minds into a whole new stratosphere. Astro City is one of those rare titles, a true gem, an example of unparalleled creativity and innovation.The first time I read Astro City was over a decade ago. I was lucky enough to get the first volume as a gift and the minute I read the first page I felt a deep connection with the Samaritan –Astro City’s equivalent of Superman–, a hero so fed up with the daily routine of catching bad guys and saving the world that his only desire is to sleep and fly peacefully, freely. Because when he flies to save lives and fight against villains, he’s never free. He’s a slave of the heroic circumstances that are forced upon him. So only in his dreams can he truly fly.The Samaritan, the First Family and the Honor Guard return to the pages of Astro City, accompanied by a vast array of old and new characters. The arrival of the Ambassador is a celebration of cosmic grandeur, he is one of those larger-than-life creatures, similar to Galactus. Busiek and Anderson pay homage to the Lee / Kirby era in Fantastic Four with the creation of the Ambassador. Certainly, the love for Kirby’s oeuvre was more than evident in one of Busiek’s most recent works: Kirby Genesis (published by Dynamite).

Alex Ross

But Busiek never forgets the regular people, like Marella who works in Humano Global, a call center devoted to answering superhero emergencies. The balance between the ordinary and the extraordinary, between the human and the superhuman is what made this series so special in the 90s and what makes it even more relevant now, in an era befouled by mega-events, constant renumberings and relaunches, and multiple gimmicks.In only two issues, the authors have added even more depth to an already large and complex metropolis. “Astro City is art, and it’s good art. It creates something –a place, perhaps a medium, or just a tone of voice– in which good stories are told”, explains Neil Gaiman. And it’s true. Although Astro City was born on the page it also lives in our hearts, and in a certain way we also live in it, populating the streets of this fascinating urban experiment. Returning to Astro City is like meeting old friends, like getting reacquainted with people you care about that, for a number of reasons, haven’t been in touch with you in years. I know I haven’t read the works of Busiek, Anderson and Ross in over a decade, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t missed them. Every time I get asked about my favorite authors I talk about Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, Grant Morrison and the entire pantheon of British writers, but I also talk about Kurt Busiek, one of the few American writers that is on par with his British colleagues. And that, my friends, is quite an accomplishment.

The heroes of Astro City / los héroes de Astro City

Anderson reassumes his duty as penciler and inker, preserving his signature style, a combination between the classic lines of the heroes of yesteryear with the refreshing dynamism of more modern eras. Of course, another egregious citizen of Astro City reappears: Alex Ross. The famous artist provides some of the best covers I’ve seen in a long time. His hyperrealism is as fascinating as always, and his fantastic designs are an incomparable visual feast. Alex Ross draws great covers every month, but his work in this title is on another level.________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________